1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to steam traps and more particularly to a simplified pressure balancing mechanism for the condensate outlet valve of the steam trap.
Steam traps conventionally employ a float responsive to the accumulation of liquid condensate for periodically opening a condensate outlet valve to discharge accumulated liquid condensate. Because of the relatively high pressure differential between the interior of the steam trap housing and the condensate outlet, the opening and closing of the outlet valve must be accomplished against relatively large pressure. This requires a large float and a long float arm to create power sufficient to open the valve against a particularly large internal pressure within the steam trap housing.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved, simplified and compact steam trap in which the movable condensate outlet valve is provided with pressure balancing means to insure that the pressure differential between the condensate outlet passage and the interior of the steam trap housing is balanced under valve closed conditions such that the float size may be reduced, the size of the float may be kept to a minimum without detrimentally affecting the ability of the valve to open upon accumulation of a predetermined volume of liquid condensate.